In a review of all the messages from the last two month - with themes like discipline, maturing, growing the body, etc. - Rick connects the dots that one theme that weaves these all together is Humility.  Humility on our behalf allows us to walk out these important teachings in a real practical way, before God and with one another. Christ humbling himself on our behalf has now open the curtain for us to become the Holy place where his spirit dwells in the world, no longer separated for only a select few to enter into but instead for each of us to carry Him out to the world

In a look at Ephesians 4, we see Christ has given gifts to  people in the church to train and raise everyone up to a measure of maturity in Christ, according to the measure of grace he's given to each of us.  As walk in this calling, we grow together in Christ. When these gifts grown in individuals, the Spirit binds us together and we centre our life more and more on Christ, the church grows in Unity and effectively fills the earth with his glory.

In our culture we've learned to fear, reject and misunderstand discipline.  God's discipline however is meant to draw us closer to him not push us away.  With a healthy view discipline we actually grow more like Jesus and learn to love others the way Jesus us, not letting us go down paths that will lead to distruction but instead into the embrace of our perfect Father in Heaven.  Scripture Hebrews 12.

Knowing what sin really is and that Jesus has defeated it, will set us free. As believers who have been forgiven, restored and made new creations, we still have sin tendency but our sin nature was buried in the waters of Baptism.  We've been made new and our spirit has been connected to God.  Calling sin what is and knowing its power is defeated will set us free from shame, fear and  regret and let us walk in a new way - by the Spirit!

Sarah teaches on getting rid of bitterness in our lives in order to be free to be what God created us for.  We all have experience that have left wounds which can express themselves in dangerous and unhealthy ways if not identified and healed by the love and mercy of God.  Something incredibly beauty can be brought out of something that was painful.  God can use what was meant for destruction to bring joy and healing to you and others.

In the book of Judges, a refrain repeats, "in those days there were no kings in Israel, everyone did what was right his own eyes." God people go through continuous cycle of turning and returning to the Lord, crying out for rescues, being rescued and then turning away again.  God faithfully raises people to save them from enemies but there is never a complete deliverer.  Until Jesus.  Jesus is the true judge who delivers us, resucues us from every enemy.  Jesus is the true king who brings the light of life.  Now we have a perfect judge who came not to condemn the world but to rescue it.

Maturing in our faith means unlearning things we're so used to doing and believing.  When we come to Christ and become new creations.  We have to learn a new way of doing things in the Spirit and we learn a new way of knowing who we are but the Word.

Maturing in our faith is meant to take place within the body.  Though God made each of us individuals and unique we find our place and purpose within the Body of people God joined us to.  There are not meant to be any loner Christians.

The Book of Hebrews tells us of great people of faith who had matured in there trust of God.  In this message Danielle calls us to mature in our trust of God and our dependance on one another to move forward in our walk with God.  Jesus reminds us that like any other training or discipline, it's not easy and sometimes even painful, but the end result is worth the trouble along the way.

Journey Church's Sunday Message, from Nov. 25th, 2018.  Joe spoke about what it looks like to submit ourselves to one another in light of the Gospel and in the power of the Spirit